BLADENBORO – Brady Durden pitched a 1-hitter and struck out 9 batters to lead Bladenboro to a 9-1 Waccamaw Middle School Conference baseball victory over Nakina Tuesday.
Durden only walked 2 batters and gave up an unearned run in the 3rd inning on an error and the only Mustang hit of the game.
The Bulldogs jumped in front with a pair of 1st inning runs. Hezekiah Blanks yanked a single to right-center field and dashed home when Weston Hilburn smacked a single to center field. Hunter Hester pounded a double to right-center field that scored Hilburn.
Luke Howell and Durden started the Bladenboro 2nd inning with singles. Howell was forced out at the plate, but Durden scored on a fielder’s choice for a 3-1 Bulldog lead.
Hilburn walloped a triple to ignite a 5-run Bulldog rally in the 3rd inning. Hester walked, and Hilburn sprinted home as Howell reached base on an error. Durden belted a single as Hester and Howell scored. Blanks walked, before Gavin Elks hammered a double that drove in Durden and Blanks as the lead grew to 8-1.
Elks drilled a triple to right-center field and scored Bladenboro’s final run on Jonah Bryan’s sacrifice fly in the 6th inning.
Hilburn led the Bulldogs’ 10-hit attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included a triple and a run batted in. Elks slammed a double and a triple and drove in 2 runs. Durden batted 2-for-3. Hester drilled a double, and Blanks and Howell added a single each. Blanks, Durden and Hilburn scored 2 runs each.
Coach Tim Benton’s Bulldogs improved to 2-0 and will visit Clarkton School of Discovery Thursday for a 4 p.m. game.
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